Olivia Coppola plays Rona Perritti when the West Haven High School Theatre Workshop this weekend presents its production of the Tony Award-winning musical, "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." Performances will be in the WHHS auditorium on Friday and Saturday, with both shows beginning at 7:30 p.m. There will be an additional performance at 2 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. All student tickets are $5. The 2pm matinee is free for senior citizens. Tickets can be purchased at West Haven High or at Goldworks, 499 Campbell Ave. less

Olivia Coppola plays Rona Perritti when the West Haven High School Theatre Workshop this weekend presents its production of the Tony Award-winning musical, "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." ... more

Photo: Harold Shapiro / Contributed /

Photo: Harold Shapiro / Contributed /

Image
1of/8

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 8

Olivia Coppola plays Rona Perritti when the West Haven High School Theatre Workshop this weekend presents its production of the Tony Award-winning musical, "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." Performances will be in the WHHS auditorium on Friday and Saturday, with both shows beginning at 7:30 p.m. There will be an additional performance at 2 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. All student tickets are $5. The 2pm matinee is free for senior citizens. Tickets can be purchased at West Haven High or at Goldworks, 499 Campbell Ave. less

Olivia Coppola plays Rona Perritti when the West Haven High School Theatre Workshop this weekend presents its production of the Tony Award-winning musical, "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." ... more

WHHS alums Mark Hanke and Mark Denny “have come home to play the dads” in the play, said Margaret “Margi” Maher, director of the WHHS Theatre Workshop — and the play — and an English teacher at the high school.

The play’s principal players include Olivia Coppola as Rona Perritti, Gillian Chadderton as Donna Panch, Wilson Valois as Mitch Mahoney, David O’Brien as Leif Coneybear, Matt Moody as William Barfee and Hannah Casman as Olive Ofstrofsky.

The Theatre Workshop will present the play in the WHHS auditorium, 1 McDonough Plaza, on Friday and Saturday, with both shows beginning at 7:30 p.m. There will be an additional performance at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. All student tickets are $5. The 2 p.m. matinee is free for senior citizens. Tickets can be purchased at West Haven High or at Goldworks, 499 Campbell Ave., Maher said.

The show is directed by Maher and musically directed by Phyllis Silver, with choreography by Sean Maher, she said. The stage manager is Selena Melillo.

In addition to the alumni actors, several alumni are involved in staging the production, Maher said.

In fact, “The backbone of our group is our alums!” she said. “Matt Cusmano is our technical director, Jessica D’Amato is our assistant choreographer, Marissa Martindale is our lighting designer, and further assistance is given by Devin Pascale and Patrick Bierne.”

Spelling Bee is produced through special arrangement with Music Theatre International, Inc., Margi Maher said. The play’s music and lyrics are by William Finn and the book is by Rachel Sheinkin.